The Courier-Mail has seen several explicit text messages sent from Mr Dowling’s mobile phone to the woman, including a picture of his penis in a glass of red wine, a self-shot image of his crotch while wearing boxer shorts and a full frontal picture of his genitalia.

“He wanted a Red Wine …,” Mr Dowling said in the text message sent with the image of his penis in the glass. Another image shows a grinning Mr Dowling holding the wine glass in a cheers salute. It is believed some of the pictures were taken in his parliamentary annex office.

Shit-eating grin, meet the penis-wine-drinking grin.

Dowling apologized to his family and colleagues for “the shame and embarrassment” inflicted on them, and also to his staff “for the calls and emails they will no doubt be fielding.”